Adjustable crutch.



l. M. & C. BRISCOE.

ADJUSTABLE CRUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED IDEC. 22. 1914.

1,156,747,Y Patented oI. 12, 1915.

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To all whom it may concern.'

.Be ity-known that we, INA M. BRIscoE and COLE Bnrscoa, citizens ofthe-United States, residing at Castle Rock, county of Douglas andStateof Colorado, rhave invented certainnew and useful Improvements inAdjustable Crutches; and we do declare the following te be a full,clear, and. exact description of the invention, such as willenableothers skilled lin the art to which it appertains vto make and usethe-same, reference being had to the accompanying-drawings, and to thecharacters o reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

Our invention relates to improvements in crutches, our object being toequip a crutch with means whereby either extremity or both may belengthened or shortened to meet the requirements. of people of dilferentheights, and furthermore, to have the upper extremity of 'said crutchadjustable, whereby it can be raisedI or lowered to conform to variousarm lengths.

Having briefly outlined our invention, we will proceed to describe thesame in detail, referencebeing made to the accompanying drawing, inrwhich is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing,-Figure 1 is an elevation of a crutch equipped with one'form of our improvements. Fig. 2 is a section taken through line 2-2,Fig. l1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a view Let thenumeral 5 designate the crutch in'l its entirety. In the 'constructiondisclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, thecrutchis composed of a hollow sleevedivided into upper and lower sections 6 and 7, respectively. Theadjacent extremities of these sections are exteriorly threaded for ashort distance andare connected by a hollow member 8 having its oppositeextremities interiorly threaded and into which the threaded extremitiesof the f t Specification of Lettersratent.' Application led December 22,1914. Serial No. 878,524.

similar to Fig. 1, showing another form ofv our invention. Fig. 4 is aview similar to i Patented oct. 12, 1915,

sections 6 and 7, respectively, arev adapted tobe screwed. Between theadjacent'extremitles of the sections 6 and 7 and within the connection 8is located a iit 9, thelatter being loosely mounted therein and thediam-l eter of its interior being slightly less than that of the saidsections. The wall ofthe connection 8 -is provided with openings 4Vthrough which the milled surface of the nutl 9 is exposed, for reasonshereinafter stated. This nut is interiorly threaded and the upperextremity of a leg 10 is screwed therein, said extremity beingexteriorly threaded for this purpose. .Supporting bars 11 are secured attheir lower extremities to the upper extremity of the'section 6 by pins12,

.which-pass through registering perforations' formed in the said bars,the section 6 and a wooden orother suitable filler 13, the latter beinginserted in the upperextremity of said section. These bars projectupwardly, diverging immediately above thesection 6 and then extendparallel to each other, their upper extremities being bent outwardly at14 to engage the under surface of an arm rest 15, the latter beingsecuredl to the said vbars by suitab fastenlng means 16. A. series ofperfora ions 17 is formed in the parallel portion of each supporting bar11, the perforations of each serles being in alinement with those of theother.

A hand grip '18 is employed having an opening extending lengthwisetherethrough and through which opening, togetherwith two oppositelydisposed perforations, is inserted a bolt 19, its threaded extremityextending beyond one of the bars 11 and have` ing a nut screwed thereon,whereby the said,

handle is secured in place.

lIt will be readily understood above description that. the hand grip 18may be raised or lowered to conform to the arm length of the user andalso by gripping the nut 9, through the openings 4 in the member 8, andby turning the leg 10, the.

crutch may be lengthened or shortened to correspond to the height of theuser.

In the construction disclosedin Fig. 3, the hollow sleeve of the crutchis composed of four sections, 20, 21, 22 and 23, the adjacentextremities of the vsections 20 and 21 being connected in the ,samemanner as the adjacent extremities of the vsections 6 and 7 and having asimilar nut 9 located-loose between them. The same is true regarding theadjacent extremities o f the' sections 22V from themv i and 23, whilethe adjacent extremitiesof the sections 21 and 22 are connected by ahand support 24, said yextremities being respectively screwed into theopposite extremlties of said support. A- post 25 .having its option 26of the post is exteriorly threaded and engages the interiorly threadedsurface of the nut 9, which as before mentioned, is located between theadjacent extremities of said sections. This construction is bestillustrated in Figs. 5 and 7. The upper extremity of the post 25 isequipped with a 'E' fity. ting 27 adapted to retaln an arm rest 28securely in place. In this construction the nut 9 is turned to raise orlower the post 25 l to vary the distance between the arm rest- 28 andthe hand rest 24 to conform to the arm lengthvof the user.

In the construction disclosed nFig. 4, the

hollow sleeve of the crutch is composed of three sections,.29, 30y and31, their adjacent extremities being also connected inthe same manner asthe sections 6 and 7 and the post 25 adapted to be locked from turningwithin the sections 29 and 30 in a manner similar to that in which thepost 25 is locked within the sections 20 and 21, Fig. 3. l

A bracket 32 is rigidly secured at 33` to the section 30, the upperextremity of the said bracket having a perforation therein.

The section 30 is provided with perforations which are in alinement withthe perforation in the bracket and a pin 34 'is\ inserted through saidperforatins, the said pin being upset at its extremities and, having ahand grip 35 mounted thereon between the said section and the bracket32. A rubber tip 36 is secured to the lower extremity of each leg 10, asdisclosed in Fig. 6.

Attention is called to the fact that the leg 10 may be locked to preventits turning within the -lowermost sections of the sleeve in the samemanner as the post 25 is locked within the uppermost sections.

Fig. 3 of the drawing -is intended to show and must beunderstood toinclude the features disclosed in Figs. 5 and 7, which prevent the shankmembers 10 and 25 from rotating independently of the tubula-r sleeve.The pins 37 are shown applied to the collars 8 of both joints, and theseare the only features of the construction above Vnoted that would bevisible in this figure, inasmuch as it is an elevation only.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is,-

1. A support for walking comprising a tubular sleeve including twosections, ad-

justing means located between the sections,

and a shank inserted in said sleeve and adapted to coperate with saidladjusting means, whereby the length of the support may be'varied. 4

' 2. A support for walking including a tubular sleeve composed of twosections, a collar, into the opposite extremities of which the sleevesections are fitted, the extremities of the sections within the collarbeing spaced, a nut located within the collar and between the spacedextremities of the sections, and a shank threaded into the nut forpurposes of adjustment.

' V3. A support for walking including a tubular sleeve composed of twosections, a col- Ilar, into the opposite extremities of which the sleevesections are fitted, the extremities of the sections within the collarbeing spaced, a' nut located within the collar and between the spacedextremities of the sections, and a shank threaded into the nut forpurposes of adjustment, said shank having a longitudinal slot and adevice supported from the sleeve and-engaging'the said slot in the shankto prevent rotation of the latter within the sleeve. j l

4. A support for walking composed of upper, lower and intermediatesleeve sections, collars respectively connecting the upper and lowersections with the adjacent extremities of the intermediate section, nutsShanks threaded into the respective nuts for" -purposes of adjustment.

5. A support for walking composed of upper, lower and intermediatesleeve sections, collars connectin the upper and lower sections with theadjacent extremities of the intermediate section, nuts located withinthe respective collars and fitted into the space between the sections,and Shanks entering the sleeve sections and having threaded partsengaging the respective nuts for purposes of adjustment, the nuts beingfree to rotate within the collars and the latter being open to giveaccess to the nuts.

6. A support for walking composed of upper, lower and intermediatesleeve sections, collars connecting the nupper and lower sections withthe adjacent extremities of Athe intermediate section and within which.purposes of adjustment, the Shanks being longitudinally slotted andpins supported from the adjacent sleeve sections and enterill@ ing theslot to prevent rotation of the Shanks i within the sleeve sections.

7. Asupport for walking including a tu- 8. A supportl for walkingincluding a tubular sleeve composed of two sections, a collar whoseopposite extremities are threaded to coperate with threads on theconnected A extremities of the sections, a nut mounted l to rotatewithin the sleeveand locked against longitudinal travel, a shankinserted in thel sleeve and threaded into the said nut for' purposes ofadjustment, and an operative connection between the sleeve andthe shankto permit longitudinal but preventfrotary travel of the shank within thesleeve.

9. A support for walking comprising a tubular sleeve including twosections, adjusting means located between the sections, a shank insertedin said sleeve and adapted to coperate withsaid adjusting means Wherebythe length of the support may be varied, said adjusting means comprisinga collar into which the extremities of the sections are fitted andspaced, a -nut located within 4the said space and rotatable between thesections to permitlengthwise ,adjustment of the shank, and an operativeconnection between the sleeve and the shank to prevent rotary per, lowerand intermediate sleeve sections, collars connecting the upper and lowersections with the adjacent extremities of the intermediate section, nutslocated within the collars and litted into the spaces between thesections, and Shanks entering the sleeve sections and having threadedparts engaging the respective lnuts for purposes of adjustment, theupper portion ofl the intermediate section of the support being equippedwith a hand piece, for the purpose set forth. i j

l11. A support for walking including an upper adjustable member composedof two sleeve sections, a collar connecting said sections, a nut locatedwithin the collar, and a shank inserted in the sleeve sections vandthreaded into the nut, the sleeve section below the collar beingprovided with a hand piece.` l

In testimony whereof we aliix our s1gnatures in presence of twowitnesses.

INA M.` Biuscon, coLE BRIsooE.

Witnesses:

MAZE KIRBY, A. EBEBT OBRIEN.

j 10. A support, for walkingcomprising up-y

